Premier David Eby delivered the final keynote at the 2025 COFI Conference in Prince George with a firm message of solidarity for British Columbia’s forest sector amid rising economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Eby painted a stark picture of global instability, citing a sharp downturn in US markets, looming tariffs, and direct threats to the province’s timber industry. …Eby warned that the recently announced US tariffs are likely to increase, targeting not just Canadian timber but pharmaceuticals and autos as well. He described the rationale behind these moves as “ludicrous and absurd,” especially in the context of a national security investigation into Canada’s timber sector. “Regardless of the posturing of the president,” he said, “the reality is that the Americans need Canadian timber.”
The Premier acknowledged that some of the sector’s challenges stem from within the province, citing government policy, court decisions, and endangered species legislation. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a working forest target of 45 million cubic meters and noted that new Forests Minister Ravi Parmar was appointed with this explicit goal. Eby highlighted several efforts underway to reach that target. He cited accelerated permitting efforts, forest landscape planning, and prioritized Indigenous agreements. …In closing, Eby said Canada’s response must be both short- and long-term. “We want to continue to expand the use of BC wood products, both nationally and internationally.” He said interprovincial trade reforms may open new markets, but reminded the audience that success begins with supply. “We’ve got to get to the 45 million cubic meters… in order to make sure that we’re getting those products to our primary mills.”
- Prince George Citizen – Eby hopes sanity will prevail in U.S.-Canada trade war
In the face of the unjustified economic attack by the leader of our U.S. neighbours, Canadian Forest Owners (CFO) stand fast as your good neighbours, who are committed to sustainable forest management for resilient, thriving communities coast to coast. Last week’s announced tariffs on Canada’s wood products by U.S. President Trump will harm not just forest landowners but local mills, workers and their families, communities, especially rural ones, and customers on both sides of the border. Together we stand firm with our colleagues in industry and the federal and provincial governments to strengthen the Canadian forest sector and work to bolster family woodlots and the economies of rural communities.
While the market tries to process what’s to come on the trade front, it’s abundantly clear that the new administration is paying special attention to lumber and likely other wood products. Trump and his surrogates have emphasized the point of view that the US has the underlying resources to produce all its own lumber and wood product needs. In response, there have been a number of news articles highlighting the statements and questioning the idea of whether or not America can quickly and completely wean itself off Canadian wood products. …Canada currently supplies about 12.0 BBF of softwood lumber to the US market. After accounting for the 1.3 BBF of exports the US has shipped in recent years, the US is still short just over 3.2 BBF of operable capacity to quickly fill Canadian lumber supply and still meet current demand levels. In other words, at current demand levels, the US softwood lumber market does not clear without Canadian supply.
The U.S. Commerce Department today announced new preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports of 20%. …The duties won’t become final until August, when final determinations are expected to be made. …The new preliminary duties is just the first shot across the bow in what is expected to be a nasty trade war, with additional tariffs that may be layered on top of duties. …Anti-dumping and countervailing duties have been in place on Canadian softwood lumber at varying levels since 2017, following the expiration of the last softwood lumber agreement in 2015. The duties on Canadian softwood lumber have been effective in shrinking Canada’s market share… from about 35% in 2016, to about 24% as of the end of 2024.